India intends to be an export hub for the Sukhoi Su-30 fighter, said Financial Express. The plan, according to the outlet, is to produce the fighter jet at the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) plant in Nashik for foreign customers.
State-owned HAL has already assembled dozens of Su-30MKI fighters under license and carries out maintenance and repairs on the aircraft for the Indian Air Force.
Production for export by HAL was reportedly supported by Moscow following a visit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Russia.
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The Indian government has ambitious plans to encourage the local aerospace industry and is seeking partnerships with several nations.
Supported by major competitions such as the program to supply tactical transport aircraft to the Air Force, the Modi administration has conditioned an agreement on the transfer of technology and local production.
Airbus, Boeing, Lockheed Martin and Embraer have already expressed their willingness to install assembly lines in Indian territory if they win these bids.
The Indian government’s ambiguous situation, however, could in theory put sensitive technologies and industrial secrets at risk.
Years ago, Turkey was expelled from the F-35 program by the United States after acquiring S-400 surface-to-air missiles from Russia.
The Su-30MKI is a two-seat variant based on the Su-27. According to local media, potential customers for the fighter would be Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia and Algeria.
Since before the Russian invasion of Ukraine, United Aircraft Corporation (UAC), the Russian state-owned company that is the parent company of the country’s aerospace manufacturers, has had difficulty finding customers for its aircraft, despite numerous efforts.
